The Importance of Memories
by gadman85
Summary: After being released with a full bill of health from Rutledge, Alice is under the care of Dr. Bumby. He keeps wanting her to forget as her treatment but Alice feels something is afoot. This time she realizes the answers are not in Wonderland but in her Memories. AU where Alice doesn't fully return to Wonderland.


A/N: This is a really old one shot I threw together a long time ago. I thought of this one after reading Shattered Wonderland by Hitokiri Dark Empress. That story was twisted but it got me thinking about it. This is my take on what could happen if Alice didn't go to Wonderland after leaving Rutledge. It is just a oneshot, though it might be long. I did make some corrections but didn't really spend too much time on it. I thought if I did I would go crazy with rewriting it and ending up with something completely different.

* * *

Alice shuddered as she made her way to yet another session with Dr. Bumby. She didn't like her sessions with him much. He would try to make her remember the fire and all of the emotions and pain that went with it before then trying to get her to remember more pleasant things. Usually these things weren't anything too special, just something like your favorite food or a warm spring day. Sometimes it was Wonderland though.

He told her one time that he had a reason for making his patients remember the worst before the better. He said it was how he gave them the tools to escape the chains unproductive memories latch on to us. He admitted to her that it was tough but necessary. Just as how it was his duty to build the children up with confidence to control their memories, before then tearing them down to what is left of their horrid pasts. Then of course it was finally his duty to refashion them and give them a purpose, since they are too broken to find one themselves. This way they forget the pain and suffering while becoming contributing members of society.

Whenever she questioned his methods, which she would do to either stall or buy some recovery time, he would shorten it to, "Remaking children. Build them up, tear them down, refashion them. Teach them the new. Forget the old." Alice didn't like that personally, but there wasn't much she could do about it really. Besides, she was getting a bit desperate to forget her painful past and she for sure wasn't a doctor herself.

She personally felt his sessions had done more to make things worse than better by causing her to have the nightmares again. She mentioned this to him and he went on about how learning what he termed 'the golden mean' wasn't easy but still required for recovery.

Alice thought about how her 'recovery' was progressing and she wasn't sure remembering and then forgetting was the way to go about doing that. She shivered as she came to a grim conclusion regarding recovery herself.

She would actually give this remembering thing a real try unlike before.

She shuddered again and wrapped her arms around herself, but not for warmth. She heard Dr. Bumby speak up as the session before hers ended. She sat up straighter while waiting for her turn. It would do no good for her to seem any weaker to him than she already did.

The door opened and a young girl with her hair in braids left walking slowly. "You made some good progress today, Fran. Don't forget that. You are on your way to being cured. It is just the unfortunate fact that things get harder before the end that made you cry," Bumby said as the girl left.

He looked to Alice. "Ahh. Yes. It is your time now, Alice. Remember what I told you last session about how your sessions would progress correct?" Alice stood and merely nodded as she laid down on the chair ready for her session to begin. "Alright, Alice you know the drill. So let us begin shall we?" With that, he began the hypnosis.

Alice started seeing flashes of her last trip to Wonderland as Bumby told her it was only a dream. She then started to see the memory of the fire, again Bumby told her to go to Wonderland. She wasn't keen on that idea. Bumby waited as she went through her memories. This was a part of the process. She had to want to forget the memory and go to her Wonderland so he allowed her some time to go through them further to a point.

She started going on about how she was in hell. He told her to go to Wonderland now. Alice let the memory play a little longer. It was horrible, but she noticed something she hadn't before. She claimed she didn't want to go to her Wonderland as a means of stalling. Bumby told her to do so saying her thoughts on the matter didn't make a difference.

She finally went to her Wonderland. Her 'safe' place as Bumby called it. She talked about how it seemed different as she went on a leaf boat ride with Rabbit. Bumby found this odd seeing as her rabbit had long been gone.

She started to panic a little bit now. Some black foulness was washing over the land destroying everything. She begged him to let it end. Bumby told her to let the new Wonderland take hold. He had theorized many times about how if forced she would take control of her Wonderland and make her 'safe' place completely new. He could then use it to push her in the direction he wanted her to go.

She started panicking more. He told her "Forget it, Alice" but to no avail. He gritted his teeth unnoticed by her and then commanded her to awake.

As she awoke they talked for a bit. Alice complained about how his methods weren't working at all. He then said, "I'll set you free, Alice. Memory is more often a curse than a blessing, even if we must experience it before we overcome it." Next, he went on about how, while difficult, his methods were the best for her to be cured of her insanity completely.

Alice relented there was something about the memory of the fire this time that she found odder than usual since she viewed it a little bit longer. Bumby didn't react to this new information and told her to go and retrieve the pills for him. As Alice left, his next patient walked in.

{-} {-} {-}

Alice slowly made her way outside after checking up on the children. They always said nasty and mean things about her, but it was still her duty to look after them and they were just as broken as her or more so. She didn't hold their words against them since she remembered her unruly behavior at the asylum. Alice was mostly just glad the doctor gave her a chance for fresh air or as close to it as you could get in this part of London.

She took her time milking the trip for what it was worth without going over on her allowed time for such an errand. She noticed a white cat and was very much tempted to follow it. She instead stopped and watched it disappear around a corner.

She shook her head talking about how she had a tendency to follow furry animals to unknown places. "I hope it isn't a vice," she said to herself as she ignored the cat calls from brutish men and threats from the cops on duty patrolling the streets. Some of them enjoyed letting her know they could easily take her in for being just plain loony.

She finally got the pills after some argument from the pharmacists about how Dr. Bumby should be picking these up and not sending his errand wench to retrieve them. They were some serious medication after all. Pills in hand, Alice made her way back to Houndsditch Home for Wayward Youth.

"It took you a while, Alice. I was beginning to think you had wondered off again, and I would have to hunt you down," Bumby greeted her as he took the pills from her offered hand.

"Well don't complain to me about it. That idiot of a pharmacist ranted on about how it was your place to get them and not your 'Errand Wench's'." Alice said as she frowned at him.

Bumby snorted and told her to go and start on supper for everyone. "I will talk to him about it tomorrow. I trust you gave him a piece of your mind," he said as she started putting on her apron.

Alice scoffed indignantly, "Of course! He called me a wench to my face and I was there on business."

Alice made the meal for everyone. After many corrections on table manners to the orphans from her, the meal was finally ended and she had done the dishes. After that, she went about her evening duties.

Finally, after an exhausting day, she relaxed before going to sleep thinking over the memory of the fire. In it, she went through the burning doors to her house. After some disturbing images of her parents burning but not Lizzie, she went out the back and saw a figure running away from the house just before she gave into Bumby's command of going to Wonderland.

The figure at the end and the fact Lizzie wasn't burning was what took her by surprise during the session. She sighed as she turned over in bed and decided she would remember the fire in its entirety sometime soon. However, she wouldn't use it as a tool to encourage her to forget the pain and her past this time. She would play along with his sessions in the meantime though. She knew how controlling he was. He was decent enough if you followed his instructions, but if you stepped out of line he would get angry and seemingly almost violent at times.

She would play along, but she wouldn't go to Wonderland. She knew Bumby saw it as her 'safe' place, but he didn't know that she could actually go there in person. She wasn't on board with this forgetfulness thing as much as she thought she would be. Something was fishy about her memory this afternoon and she intended to investigate. She would play the part of the insane woman eager to forget her past. She knew she could do it. She was smart and quick witted after all. The fact there was some truth to it would make it even more convincing.

She played her assigned role the next few weeks as they went by at the usual pace. There was a certain level of comfort in routine she thought as she did chores and attended the sessions under Dr. Bumby. Alice would admit it was tougher going through with her new plan than she first thought, but she was determined. She wanted to be truly cured at almost any cost.

{-} {-} {-}

It was now time for another session with the 'Good' Doctor. Alice lay on the chaise lounge in her hypnosis with the memory playing again. This time she saw the figure sneak into her house and drop what looked like a lantern before then running into the woods. The blaze still affected her nonetheless and she started to panic, but not before filing away what she saw in the memory this time.

Bumby told her to go to Wonderland. She obeyed this time. She didn't like what she saw there at all. The place was in ruins. The corruption was drowning everything and destroying the place. She saw Rabbit's demise again along with her other friends. She couldn't help but yell aloud, "My mind is in ruins! I don't like this!"

Bumby woke her up and dismissed her. After she left, he sat in his chair. He was done for the day and now alone with his thoughts.

As he sat there, he thought over what had happened today. Alice seemed to be making some progress but there were problems. She immediately went to Wonderland this time when told to do so, but it seemed her emotions from the fire memory were carrying over. This he decided wasn't good.

He could tell her mind was already broken properly by the way she kept crying in her sleep at night and during the day when she thought herself unseen. She went through the motions with a sort of unfocused gaze when in that state. This past week it was more obvious. However, if she didn't start getting to her safe place and then learn to forget that which is painful she wouldn't do well for his plans at all.

He had toyed with the idea of making her merchandise, but that seemed a waste to him now. Sure, he could get a pretty penny for a couple of hours with her from a customer, but he was well off from what his other 'patients' brought in. This left him options.

Angus Bumby had decided he wanted Alice all for himself. He felt excited at the prospect of being with her. It would serve well as his final conquest over Lizzie and the rest of the family.

Lizzie always loved her sister more than anyone else. He had already had his way with the 'tease' and gotten away with it. Now it was time to make that which she held most dear all his. However, he wasn't some lowlife that would do that by force.

No. Alice wouldn't need to be forced. She wouldn't play coy to an infuriating degree like her sister. No, for Alice he wanted her eternally grateful to him. He wanted to be her hero that saved her from the past. He wanted her willing to do anything to make him happy as thanks.

Yes, he would remake Alice into a proper lady and others would envy him for being with her. Yes, she would make the perfect decoration of a woman. He opened up a secret door in his desk and pulled out a notebook of his. He jotted down some of his ideas.

 _Use her time in the Asylum instead of the fire. The Asylum holds memories of nothing but hate, pain, sorrow, and hopelessness for her. This will allow her to go to her Wonderland and as result fall under my control once I control it._

 _She will be my greatest accomplishment yet. With her, I will have fully conquered the Liddell family. Lizzie will roll over in her grave when I make her most beloved family member my own. It will show the tease when her beloved sister is moaning and writhing with the greatest of pleasure as I have my way with her._

 _I must do things right though. She will be respectable to everyone else. I must let her be who she is supposed to be to all, but me. With me, she will be ever eager to please in every way._

He closed the notebook he had on his conquests. He knew if it was ever found he would be in trouble, but no one would look for it. He wouldn't need to worry about it being found by accident either.

Plus, he held a great sway over the police. The Chief was one of his clients. He managed to get Alice released a few times even after she had attacked someone very publicly without a trial or bail. This was further proof of his power and prestige to those around him.

Dr. Bumby smiled a sinister smile as he stowed the notebook back in its hiding place. He opened his professional journal and wrote down something similar in it. He left out the incriminating parts and changed some others. Sometimes when people asked about his practice he showed them this journal and they would usually shut up realizing he is very much professional.

{-} {-} {-}

Alice had a lot on her mind before she went to bed that night. " _Why was someone burning down the house?_ " She had thought it was an accident, but she thought back to that night and knew for sure she did put out the log on the fire before going to bed. Mother had always stressed how dangerous it was to forget that and ingrained it into her and Lizzie's minds.

Alice thought about Lizzie, her sister. She sniffed and tried to hold off the tears that were threatening to spill. She started crying as usual before going to bed regardless.

The rest of that week would go about the same as always. At night though, she started to remember the things that her and Lizzie had discussed. Some of them were rather alarming now, unlike then. She never really realized what some of the things her sister said actually meant at the time. She was too young and too innocent despite being a rather precocious but loveable child. Alice was no such thing now. The truth was many women her age would already be happily married or at least engaged by this point.

She was starting to find even more evidence her house burning down wasn't an accident with her new focus. The memories told her Lizzie had a suitor that couldn't take even the most obvious of hints. It was obvious he was becoming more obsessed as time went on. " _If only I could remember the name…_ " Alice thought to herself.

Her sister had many suitors Alice knew, but Lizzie always made her thoughts on them clear while at the same time being as polite as she could be about it. Also Lizzie gave them each a chance. She never denied someone until they gave her good reason to do so. "My heart is always open, Alice. Never closed, never locked. It needs no key," Lizzie had told her more than once.

{-} {-} {-}

Alice was sitting rather downcast waiting for her turn in the office. Dr. Bumby finally called her in. "Lay down, Alice. I have decided to have you focus on a different memory now. It seems the emotions the fire and your family bring are too strong and bleed over into your Wonderland. Instead I want to focus on your time at Rutledge."

Alice's eyes widened. She didn't see any benefit to those memories. She was about to protest when the Doctor cut her off. "I know it was a very trying time for you. But there won't be any strange sense of mystery or the pain of seeing you family burn again. I think this will help you to focus on making Wonderland a happy safe place again."

Alice gulped, but calmed down. She would have to go along with this it seemed. She only hoped something would click while she was there. Hope she would hear some tidbit that would jog her memory. She wasn't very hopeful anything good would come of it though.

She laid down and succumbed to the hypnosis. "Now Alice. I want you to focus on the orderlies that tended you." Alice winced in her hypnosis, but did as asked.

As she obeyed, she noticed they were a lot like the Tweedles. They had been ever so horrible to her. They would taunt her as she was strapped in her bed and force fed her talking about how she was too scrawny. They would also sexually harass her on occasion as well. Fortunately for her, while they were dimwitted they weren't so foolish as to go all the way.

She eventually lashed out at them and stabbed one with a spoon. The other was mad and would have done something to her if a couple of the other orderlies hadn't stopped him. She was punished severely for what she did. They didn't know what was going on really. She shuddered at the memory of the punishment.

Alice then remembered her care takers were twin nephews of the Superintendent at Rutledge, who like the Mad Hatter, wore a ridiculously long top hat. However, unlike the hatter he realized the mistake he made leaving his untrained nephews unsupervised while they worked. Eventually, she was given a different set of orderlies who were thankfully more professional, even though that didn't really say much.

Alice filed all of this information away for later examination. She went to her Wonderland which was still covered in ruin, but she sort of looked it over without any expression this time. When she was woken up, Bumby asked her what her wonderland was like this time.

She thought for a moment and answered, "It was still covered in something, but it didn't feel as oppressive."

Dr. Bumby nodded, "Good. This is progress. Soon you will be able to control your Wonderland and then you will be capable of discarding that which is unproductive."

The two sat there in silence for a bit. Bumby taking notes while Alice looked around occasionally answering questions he asked so he could find a better approach. She noticed his pocket watch on the desk and saw a key she thought vaguely familiar. Bumby soon dismissed her to go and continue her duties for the day.

That night Alice went over what she discovered in the session. She came to the conclusion Wonderland, while real, was a reflection of her outward experiences. She thought of all the people she knew in Wonderland and found real life counterparts to them.

That night she had the nightmare of the fire again and more pieces to the puzzle fell in place. She didn't like what she saw at all. Lizzie's room was locked which Lizzie never did. Also she knew another way out of the house. The fire shouldn't have killed her sister that night. Something was definitely fishy about the fire.

{-} {-} {-}

It had been a couple of months now since she was asked to remember Rutledge. Just as she thought, the memories there did nothing for her. She wouldn't just cast them aside though as the doctor wanted. She had figured out more about what really happened to Lizzie and now she was trying to figure out who had raped her sister and then killed her.

She knew it was the figure that burned down her house to cover his tracks, but for the life of her she couldn't picture the man. She hated how she had at first done what Dr. Bumby told her and started trying to desperately forget her past. She wished she had come to the decision to not forget sooner. Truthfully though she was getting a better grasp on her sanity. Not forgetting that which was important seemed to help her out a lot despite what the doctor claimed.

This made her wonder why it was Dr. Bumby was so adamant about her forgetting her past. She had spoken to him about it. He got angry and told her he was the one with the degree in psychiatry not her.

He told her that she barely had any education apart from what her parents gave her and then spent most of her life in Rutledge Asylum. She just glared at him before leaving to go and do her jobs around the house. She didn't understand his insistence. Not dwelling on the past in a mopey fashion had improved her greatly, but she wasn't forgetting it. She had a focus now to find the man responsible and make him pay. She would make him pay publicly as well. His crimes needed to be brought to everyone's attention.

She just needed to figure out whom and get the evidence. After all Bumby had a point, she spent most of her time in an asylum and everyone knew it. She preferred to attack problems up close and quickly. However, this situation required a more deft touch. She could do things that way it just wasn't her style.

She was now cleaning Bumby's office while he was out taking care of some 'personal' business as he called it. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure it was something shady. The man had far too much power for a mere Child psychiatrist.

She saw the key he often had on his pocket watch lying on the table. She had asked him about it and he had said, "It's from a past lover of mine. She has long since been departed though. It was unfortunate what happened to her. I don't talk about it to others. So don't bother asking about it again, Alice."

She walked up to it and looked at it again. She picked it up, held it in her hand and recognized it right at once. Her eyes widened and she gasped, "This is Lizzie's key! I'd recognize it anywhere!"

Her mind started buzzing with many questions. She again remembered Lizzie telling her about a man that had followed her to the ladies wash closet at Waterloo Station. She remembered Lizzie talking about how the same man started touching her. How the man claimed she stole his heart. How the man wanted her to do things she never would do and he expected her to do as he said. How the man had more or less cornered her and felt her up.

Alice's eyes narrowed in anger as she remembered.

Lizzie had told her the man's name was Bumby and he was a student at Oxford University in Psychiatry!

Alice was seething mad now. She wanted to do nothing more but to kill Bumby. He was trying to make her into what he couldn't make Lizzie. He really wanted Alice to forget because if she didn't she might find a way to link him to her family's murders.

She wanted to go straight to the police, but knew they wouldn't believe her in the slightest. Plus, Bumby could hush it all up with little effort. He would then take her completely as his own and maybe in the same fashion he had her sister.

There wouldn't be many that would stop him either. Alice knew she wasn't very popular and if he kept his activities with her, whatever they might be, private. No one would know! If she tried to tell someone, he could simply blow it off as her insanity.

The dark haired and green eyed young woman shivered as she thought about that. She was lucky she hadn't given him any hints she was figuring things out, or he might put whatever his plan was for her into action sooner. She had a feeling it wouldn't be nice for her.

Alice placed the key back on the desk and continued to clean. She hated that she had to work for the man that killed her family and raped her sister. For now though, she would continue to play dumb and to follow along. Bumby's biggest mistake was believing her to be an idiot and foolish girl. Sure, she was taught at home, but her dad was a dean at Oxford and often brought excellent tutors for her and her sister to teach them.

She would look for evidence on him if she could find it without his knowing. Death was more than he deserved. He deserved to be some half-wit bruiser's play thing in prison. Bumby wasn't weak, but he also wasn't very strong. He had worked things to his advantage in his spot in London somehow to where no one would touch him. Alice had a feeling she would figure that out soon enough as well.

{-}{-}{-}

It had been several months since Alice discovered the whole truth about the fateful night. She had been much more observant after that and started to figure out how Bumby had put things to his advantage. It was ugly and horrible, but effective.

However, right now she was being instructed on how to be a proper woman by the loathsome brute of man. He had told her after he returned that day, "Since you have been making good progress, I have decided to get you ready for society. Your social debut would have been at least a couple of years ago, had that unfortunate accident not happened to your family." Alice went along knowing he of course wished to dress his toy up the best for all to see.

She had done better than he expected of her. He then remembered he shouldn't be too surprised. She had been recovering really well and her mother really trained her daughters up in etiquette. What really surprised him was how more refined the younger sister was compared to her tease of an older sister. He was also pleasantly surprised she was turning into more of a beauty than Lizzie as well.

He laughed to himself thinking how the older sister, were she still alive, might have turned out jealous of her beloved younger sister. He smirked thinking how much of a treat it would be to take Alice completely. He was waiting for the right moment. He had to be careful. Alice was now very much the respectable lady in others' eyes. It was surprising how quickly their opinions turned once she cleaned up. This made his impending victory all the sweeter.

The next day he had to make a social call to a few of his previous patients to receive their 'gratitude' for all he had done to improve their lives. "I won't be back until early this evening, Alice. I think you can take the day off to enjoy yourself for once. However, I expect supper to be ready shortly after I return."

Alice nodded and gave a beautiful smile as she replied, "I am delighted by your generosity, Angus." Dr. Bumby left to make his first visit smiling at how well his plan had worked despite it having a slow start. Alice had been very grateful to him for helping her forget her painful past. She had become closer to him as well. That is why he let her use his first name, when appropriate.

His smile turned a little sinister as he marveled at how pure and innocent she started becoming after she left the asylum. She had no idea what he had really done to her. It made him even pleased of himself.

He really was a hero to society. He helped "poor innocent children" become productive members of society. He really didn't understand why everyone fussed over children. Personally, he thought humans should treat them like some insects treat their own. He wasn't encouraging cannibalism, but they should just get rid of them in some fashion. They were all noisy snot nosed brats to him.

{-} {-} {-}

As Bumby was making his first call, Alice went into his office. When one of the children asked her what she was doing, she smiled and said she was going to work on a surprise for Angus. The child just nodded and went outside to play. The children had actually finally stopped pestering her, since 'Dr. B' didn't take to them being mean to Alice well anymore. It was the only thing she was grateful he did, though she disagreed with his methods.

Alice closed the door and pulled out a small silver key from her apron pocket. She found it covered in dust forgotten in a corner of the office when she was cleaning the room last week. One of the new patients had a bit of an accident Bumby had her take care of it. She looked around his desk and found the keyhole. She placed the key inside and with a soft click she opened the secret drawer. She knew she found his missing main key given his spare one was currently kept on his pocket watch.

Alice couldn't help, but give a genuine smile as she looked through the desk. It held records of his agreements with disreputable sorts and even an account book where he had kept track of the merchandise. The list only had numbers, but there was a list of the numbers with their corresponding kid also in the drawer.

She shook her head. She knew about his side business for three weeks now, but this was just revolting, the sheer scale of it all. Alice was glad Bumby was the kind of man who thought he was smarter and better than anyone else. He was very detailed in his documents. He never thought a foolish idiotic girl like Alice would out smart him completely and find it.

She saw a notebook as well. She opened it and started reading form it. She found a page where he had boasted about his 'conquest' of Lizzie. He even wrote of his two possible plans for her. Alice's eyes showed her anger and she was glad she decided to play along with his game. Had she not he would have whored her out as a 'special' prize. She was even angrier after seeing how close he had come to choosing that route for her.

She wanted to gut him alive now, but then her survival wouldn't have meant anything. Once she was thrown in jail or back into the Asylum never to see daylight again, everything she had done would be for naught. It would be even worse because following her emotions would have resulted in making Bumby a martyr and probably even gotten an institution or charity foundation named after him.

She left the office with some documents that would give the officer outside plenty of reason for investigating Dr. Bumby's office. She was relieved when she saw the officers outside were 'clean' and would see justice done. She had half feared they would be the unsavory sort who would instead hush it up and let the Chief know they saved his ass.

"E-E-Excuse me, officer…" Alice said a little timidly from shock at what she had in her hands.

"Yes, what is it, Miss Alice?" the taller officer asked politely. Alice hadn't been crazy for a good while now and was actually quiet the lady he and the others decided a while back.

"W-well I was going to see if I could make Doctor Bumby a surprise in his office for when he returned. I knew he had a secret drawer which I had a key for and I was going to well… Give him a little bit of a scavenger hunt to end in a way he would enjoy. But when I opened it up… I found something horrible. I don't want to say what it was out loud, so I brought something to show you a small part of what I found." Alice then handed him the documents.

The officer looked at them tentatively at first, but then his jaw fell open. "Good God! What have you found, Alice? Was there more?" He asked then handing them over to his partner, who had an equal reaction.

"I am afraid there is much more," Alice said darkly. "It is inside his office I left the drawer unlocked."

The two officers looked at each other and decided this was more than enough to give them just cause to search his office. "Lead the way, Alice," the shorter one said. He was shorter, but still taller than Alice herself. Alice did just that as the cops beckoned for one of the patrollers to come over and told him to go to the station and get a couple of more officers who he named specifically.

{-} {-} {-}

It was getting late and Bumby was walking home casually. He was waiting for the meal he just knew Alice would have about finished by now. After that, he had decided to hell with waiting any longer. He would make her his tonight. He was confident she wouldn't deny him at all.

He smiled darkly as he continued down the street. His smile faded once he saw the door opened to Houndsditch. "Alice?! Why is the front door still open? The kids might try to run away."

"I'm in your office, Doctor." He heard Alice's voice ring through the house.

He frowned. "Did one of the children make a mess again?" he asked as he entered the office. He was surprised to see two officers standing looking over his desk.

He was about to demand an answer when the door to his office closed behind him and a gruff voice answered, "No. But someone did make a mess. You will be coming with us, Bumby. You have a lot to answer for downtown."

He was about to refute, but then he saw one of the cops approach Alice and say, "I am sorry Miss Liddell, but we will need your sister's key as evidence and not just the photograph of it by the journal entry."

Alice looked at him sorrowfully. "We can arrange for it to be returned to you after the trail. It shouldn't take long with all of this evidence," he assured her. She handed him the key.

Before Bumby could do anything, the two officers behind him placed him in handcuffs and were about to lead him out when he asked Alice, "How did you find out?"

Alice gave him a death glare and said to him calmly, "I stopped forgetting about my past when you had me remember the fire. Since then I figured out the truth and waited for the right moment to present the evidence I found."

Bumby glared at her and started cussing her out as the officers dragged him away. Bumby knew he was screwed. These cops weren't dirty. He couldn't control them. The police Chief wouldn't be able to do anything to save him either. Otherwise it would be his own ass on the line as well.

Alice had completely outsmarted him and made sure the right kind of people got a hold of the evidence. There was nothing he could do. He started thinking about how he would find his protector in prison.

Alice gave a satisfied smile as she watched him leave in hand cuffs. She looked to the side as she heard a familiar sound and heard a familiar deep voice. "Well well, young Alice. I must say you have not only once again saved Wonderland months ago, but you are also now a force to be reckoned with in the 'real' world."

She turned to see the cat with his ever wide grin. She gave him a smirk and she said, "With no thanks to you, Cat."

The Cheshire cat just chuckled as he replied, "If you say, Alice." And with that he once again disappeared back to Wonderland. The place had changed once again. It was now very much a paradise where all of the residents were once again alive and well. They had been since Alice figured out the truth. Once she did that, the corruption dissolved completely. The Dollmaker was only a long gone memory now as well.

{-} {-} {-}

It was years later and Alice was humming quietly to herself in the sitting room of her new home while she worked on a sewing craft piece. She was a good bit older now, but she was still considered beautiful even by the younger men and women. She was perfectly happy with her life as well.

She looked to the fire place in the center of the back wall and then up to the portrait. The portrait showed Alice and her husband James smiling with three kids around them. All five of them were smiling broadly in it. They were not only shown to be a happy family in the portrait, but they were in real life as well.

Alice considered herself a lucky woman to have ended up with James. He was a kind man that ran a fine family business. His family owned a couple of very well-known businesses. His older brother was given one business while he was given the other. Both of them were doing very well.

James was also a very handsome man with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. He wasn't much older than herself. Most had considered this odd given usually a man wasn't considered marriage material until at least his mid to late thirties by society.

Alice didn't care about such societal traditions though. After all, Dr. Bumby was considered quite the fetching gentleman until she exposed him and his crimes. Besides, having a younger man close to her age made for very intense and romantic moments of intimacy.

The dark haired woman blushed as she remembered some of their encounters. She knew some would frown at the things they shared in the bed room, but she didn't have any regrets. She knew she was more open than most would be. She figured it was partly because of her so-called training under Dr. Bumby.

She always got a sort of vindictive satisfaction that the Doctor's work on her was benefiting a different man than him. A man that was actually worthy of being called a refined and respectable upstanding member of society in every manner. A man who Alice had told the whole truth to after she was sure of their love. He had accepted her for who and what she was, damaged goods, but he loved and respected her as a proper lady from a rather wealthy family.

Once Bumby had his trial, he tried to expose others of their crimes and also those who had mistreated her at the asylum. He was hoping to get off a little easier for cooperating or at least take as many down with him as he could. This caused an investigation into her family's death. It eventually led the investigators in tracking down what happened to her lawyer. They found out he had been hiding away her family's will and fortune. He was also found guilty of many other less than respectable practices in law.

Her family's will actually left her and her sister everything the family owned if something were to happen to them. It was even a bit of an oddity for the time because it actually had a provision that stated the daughters would not lose their share to the man they married. Since Alice was all that was left of her family, she received everything.

The lawyer had spent a decent part of it, but there was still a good bit left. It was a nice boon she thought, but she would rather not have inherited her family's fortune yet. She would rather they were still alive.

" _Family…_ " Alice said to herself with a half sad and half happy smile due to her musings. She loved her own family she had now, and she had imparted on them the importance of loving and caring for your family. Still, kids were kids. " _They cause problems and troubles more often than not,_ " she thought fondly. She looked at her family portrait again and focused more on her and James' lovely children. They would cause problems, but the kids were still loving for the most part. She wouldn't trade them for anything.

One of the kids was a sandy haired boy with her green eyes. The boy was the oldest of their children and he was now a fine young man already taking secondary education. Alice was proud of this alone. She never had the chance to go to proper school due to the fire. She and James made sure their kids would get that chance.

The boy's name was Thomas. He was named after his grandfather. James mostly decided the name, but Alice was okay with this. She felt giving her loving husband her affection, children, and letting him have a bit more sway in naming theirs kids was the least she could do for him.

He had done so much for her. He was always there for her. She still would have nightmares and a few times she had panic attacks. Considering all she had been through in her life, this was actually a blessing due to their rarity. These issues alone might have scared off lesser men, but not James.

Alice gave a smile and her gaze moved towards the oldest daughter. Their oldest daughter had dark curly hair and beautiful blue eyes. They had named her Grace Caroline. James really wanted a 'beautiful' name for their beautiful daughter. Alice was all too happy with this name.

She could tell their daughter would be every bit the beauty they thought she would be. Their oldest daughter was also a bit rebellious, but still a very compassionate and caring girl. Most of the time her rebellion equaled to her deciding she would go by Grace for a while and then change it to where she only went by Caroline. This had caused the teachers some trouble. They were trying to figure out which was really her name. Fortunately, Alice explained to them her name was Grace Caroline. After that, the mother spoke to her oldest daughter and told her to put Grace Caroline on her assignments.

Alice was just about to look at the portrait again after she had double checked some of her stitching when her youngest daughter ran into the sitting room and seemed to be crying. She tugged on her mother's dress. The youngest daughter was a spitting image of her mother.

"Mom... Grace Caroline made fun of me when I told her about Wonderland… And now I'm sure she hates me," the little girl cried. She was indeed a spitting image of her mother. She had even inherited Wonderland it seemed.

Alice picked up the young girl and placed her in her lap as she gave the girl a soft kiss on the forehead. "I'm sure Grace Caroline doesn't hate you, Lizzie," she said. Alice gave her youngest a warm smile. James let her pick the name of their youngest. Alice naturally chose Elizabeth, Lizzie for short.

"But she said it doesn't exist! And and she knew this because she had never visited a place called Wonderland. I told her it does too exist and I visit it a lot of the time," Lizzie said through quieting sobs as she buried her face in her mom's chest.

Alice rubbed her back to help the child calm down. "Shhh… don't worry about it, Lizzie. I'm sure Grace didn't realize how much Wonderland means to you." Alice then got her daughter to look at her face as she said with a mischievous smile, "Or maybe she's just secretly jealous she can't visit Wonderland."

Lizzie looked up to her mom with blinking eyes. "You… You believe me?"

Alice gave a nod. "Of course I believe you, honey."

Lizzie gave a bit of a doubtful look. "You aren't just saying that cuz it's something moms just say to their daughters are you, mom?"

"It's because dear. Not cuz," Alice corrected her daughter who looked a little ashamed. "Regardless of your improper use of grammar. I do believe you, Lizzie. Actually, I even know for a fact Wonderland does exist."

Lizzie's green eyes widened a little as she asked, "How do you know, mom? It isn't that I don't believe you, but still…"

Alice gave a little chuckle before she leaned in closer to her youngest and asked, "Can you keep a secret, Lizzie?" Lizzie nodded her head vigorously. Alice leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, "I used to visit Wonderland myself. In fact, it is very rarely, but I still do sometimes even now. It is usually in my dreams, but I still actually go there on very rare occasions."

"You do?" Lizzie asked with wide doe eyes. "I've never seen you there before though."

Alice gave a smile. "Well I said very rarely. We probably just don't go there at the same time, Lizzie. Wonderland is a very vast place that keeps growing and changing. It is a very magical place, as I'm sure you know. We may just miss each other."

"Do you think it's beautiful too, mom?" Lizzie asked excitedly.

"Yes I do. It was a place I visited very often when I was your age, Lizzie. I still visited it a decent bit into my young adult life as well," Alice said with a smile. She left out why she visited it and how horrifying it had become by that point though. Her and James agreed not to tell their children about their past unless it was needed. Much less Wonderland.

"Does anyone else know about it?" Lizzie asked with a smile.

Alice gave a nod. "Your Father knows about it. But we both keep it a secret. Wonderland is a magnificent place, but not everyone is able to understand it. This doesn't make those who don't, bad people or anything. They are just different and people don't always respond well to things they can't understand. So remember you have to keep it a secret, Lizzie."

"So I can't tell Grace Caroline about it?" Lizzie asked with a frown.

Alice gave a slight frown. "If you two are going to fight about it then no. However, you could still possibly tell her some of your adventures you have there."

Lizzie gave a bright smile to this. "However," Alice started with a serious face. "If it only causes problems between you two then don't mention it to her. Wonderland is an interesting place, Lizzie. But it isn't this world and it isn't worth possibly losing a sister's, or brother's love over. Do you understand?"

Lizzie nodded to her mother with a matching serious face. She then asked, "Do you think… We could meet in Wonderland sometime, Mom? I would love to show you what I found there and maybe you could do the same for me?" Lizzie gave her mom her pleading eyes.

Her pleading green eyes were hard to resist. Alice now understood how she was able to get her older sister to go along with her games and such despite their age difference those many years ago. Alice gave a smile and a soft chuckle. "Sure, maybe we can. I should probably give that useless cat, Cheshire, a good talking to anyways. I might need to also keep Hatter from doing something foolish again by now as well. They aren't giving you too much trouble, are they?"

Lizzie's jaw fell open and her eyes widened. She just stared at her mom for a few moments before giving her a big tight hug and answered happily. "No they aren't. Cheshire tries to tease me sometimes by being all mysterious, but I simply think of how you would treat him. And usually I tell him off." Lizzie hugged her mother tighter as she cried a few tears in happiness and relief. "You really do believe me and have been there…" she sobbed a little more. Alice patted her on the back and wondered how such a small young girl could give such a tight hug.

"Of course I do and I have, Honey. I know it is hard to believe, but it is true," Alice said. She gave a smile as she calmed her youngest down again.

When Lizzie was finally calmed, Alice looked into her eyes and said, "Now go and wash up. You'll feel even better then." Lizzie happily nodded and hopped down from her mother's lap and started to run for the door. "Don't run, Lizzie…" the daughter paused and blushed. "Also. I hope you forgive your sister for earlier." Lizzie nodded.

The youngest opened the door and was actually surprised to see Grace Caroline standing there. The oldest daughter gave a sigh and looked down to the ground. She then spoke. "I'm sorry about earlier, Lizzie… I didn't mean to make you upset. I'm just not sure about this Wonderland you talked about is all. Can you forgive me?"

Lizzie gave her a hug to the older girl's surprise and relief. "Of course, I forgive you. I'm sorry I argued with you like that and ran off. I shouldn't have carried on like that. As for Wonderland… well don't worry about it. I love Wonderland, but I love you more, Grace Caroline. I won't bother you about it anymore."

Grace Caroline gave a blush as she returned her younger sister's hug. "If you want you can still tell me stories about it sometime. I won't argue with you like that about it again." Lizzie gave a smile and a nod before going off to wash her face.

Alice gave a smile and hugged her oldest daughter as she said, "I'm proud of you for apologizing to your sister of your own accord, Grace." Grace Caroline relished her mom's hug. She may be a bit rebellious at times, but the oldest daughter was always a fan of hugs.

"I'm still not sure about this Wonderland, but I know I love Lizzie more than I care about arguing over some dream world. Just like I love you, Thomas, and daddy," the oldest daughter said.

Alice gave a warm smile and patted her on the back as Grace let go of the hug. Grace Caroline then ran off to go and play most likely. Alice turned and looked at her family's portrait one last time. " _Family… No matter how bad things get. Family is still the best._ " With those thoughts, Alice decided it was time to start thinking about what to cook for dinner tonight. They had money and could hire a staff if they wanted, but she loved cooking for her family. It was another skill Bumby taught her for his plan, that people who actually deserved love reaped the benefit from instead.

Just as Alice was about to close the door to the sitting room, she looked at the newspaper on the table by her sewing chair. Folded on top was an article about the discovery of one Dr. Bumby's suicide in prison. It even had the man's prison photo showing. The article mentioned what he was in for and how his case was solved. Alice gave a bit of a dark smile of satisfaction at the article. According to it she believed the foul and loathsome brute got what he deserved for what he had done.

She stretched up her arms and arched her back so the picture had good profile view of her still rather sexy body. She gave the article a dark smile as she let out a soft moan of relief. She knew it was just a picture in a newspaper, but she felt some satisfaction from the display rubbing in what he never got to have.

She dropped her arms and started making her way towards the kitchen. "I think I'll go all out tonight," she said quietly to herself. She mentally added, " _And not just with dinner._ " There was a vindictive part of her that hoped Bumby was seeing and hearing this from his cell in hell.

It was the perfect revenge against him. The man she loved got her in every way Bumby wanted her, and her family always got her best efforts in cooking and cleaning. The best part was the Doctor was only on her mind because of the article. He hadn't been on her mind in several long happy years.

Alice gave a final stretch as she walked towards the kitchen and thought, " _Life really is good._ " She loved her life and she felt it was deserved after all she been through. She was happy and her family were happy. Alice choosing to make her survival and memories mean something in her life was the choice that truly set her free in the end.

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A/N: I know it was a very sappy ending probably. Some might even go so far as to call it cliché or something. The way I figure it if anyone deserves such an ending it's Alice. I also bet many people will dislike this fic because they can't comprehend an Alice who isn't straight jacket crazy, even though she is cured by the end of the games.


End file.
